Kaplan Launches Podcast Series with Practical Insight for College and Graduate School-Bound Students

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Kaplan Launches Podcast Series with Practical Insight for College and Graduate School-Bound Students
             Prep Pioneer Taps Tech Trend to Reach Busy Students

    NEW YORK, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- College- and grad school-bound students
can now use their iPods for more than music and movies -- with the launch of a
new podcast series from Kaplan, they will be able to get expert insight on
high-stakes entrance exams, financial aid, the shifting admissions landscape,
workplace recruiting, and more. The series of downloadable audio clips, which
will be accessible via Kaplan's site http://www.kaptest.com and iTunes and free to
all, will include perspectives and timely advice from testing specialists,
experts at top-tier universities, leading corporations and high-achieving
peers.
    In just a year, "podcasting" -- a term coined from iPod plus broadcast
that refers to the transmission of audio files downloadable from the Internet
-- has gone from a little-known technology to the New Oxford American
Dictionary's 2006 Word of the Year.  An estimated 6 million U.S. iPod users*
now tap into this application -- a number projected to balloon, with estimates
ranging from 12.5** to 56*** million by 2010.
    The Kaplan series has kicked off with podcasts for LSAT takers which
provide instant post-test exam analysis, including inside information on the
test's ambiguities (such as which segment was the "experimental" section),
insight into pacing and test tactics that proved effective, advice on what to
do in a variety of scenarios, as well as feedback to students from peers on
test anxiety and test rituals.  The post-test podcasts available at:
http://surveys.kaptest.com/instantanalysis/lsat have already been downloaded
nearly 15,000 times and are the most downloaded items on the Kaplan Test Prep
and Admissions site.
    "Over the years, our students have always been at the forefront of new
media applications as they come into popular use, be it DVDs or online
services or mobile phones, and have responded enthusiastically when we've
adapted these applications to be relevant to their needs as students," said
Ben Baron, Vice President of graduate programs at Kaplan Test Prep and
Admissions.
    A survey of Kaplan LSAT students indicated that 70% own portable digital
players including iPods -- a portion significantly higher than the general
population.
    Upcoming months will feature segments for GMAT, SAT, GRE, MCAT and USMLE
students.
    The podcast series is the latest addition to Kaplan's arsenal of
interactive resources.  Kaplan also provides comprehensive web-based prep
options for the majority its courses, as well as additional supplementary
tools including a mobile option for SAT test takers, a customizable
interactive QuizBank for several standardized exams, and a CD of original SAT
vocabulary-rich music for students looking to enhance their verbal skills.

    Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions (http://www.kaptest.com), a division of
Kaplan, Inc., is a premier provider of educational and career services for
individuals, schools and businesses.  Established in 1938, Kaplan Test Prep
and Admissions is the world leader in the test prep industry and has served
millions of students in nearly 70 years. With 3,000 classroom locations
worldwide, a comprehensive menu of online offerings and a complete array of
books and software, and private tutoring options, Kaplan offers preparation
for more than 80 standardized tests in the U.S. and the U.K., including
entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as
English language and professional licensing exams.  Kaplan also provides
college and graduate admissions consulting services, as well as after-school
learning programs for K-10 students through its SCORE! centers.  Additionally,
the division's K12 Learning Services unit is a leading nationwide provider of
a broad range of academic intervention and support programs for school
districts seeking to meet the demands of No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

    *   according to a Pew Internet and American Life Project survey
    **  according to Forrester Research
    *** according to Diffusion Group
SOURCE Kaplan, Inc.
http://www.kaplan.com
http://www.kaptest.com
http://surveys.kaptest.com/instantanalysis/lsat
CONTACT:
Victoria Grantham of Kaplan, Inc.,
+1-212-453-7538, victoria_grantham@kaplan.com